Power transmission



.Oct. 13, 1942- H. F. VICKERS ET AL POWER TRANSMISSION Filed March 30, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY 1942- H. F. VICKERS ET AL ,2

POWER TRANSMISSION Filed March 30, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS HARRY F. VICKERS 8- +ENNET'H R. HERMAN Mi /7M ATTORNEY the thrust bearings Figure 2 is a cross section on line 2- -2 Patented Oct; 13, 1942 UNITED STATES PAT-E NT Jm rowan rasnsmsslon ru r. Vickers and Kenneth R. aminetrait, Mich, .alllgnors to Detroit. Mich, a corpo Vieken Incorporated,

ration of Michigan particularly to those of the type comprising two or more fluid pressure energy translating devices, one of whichmay function as a pump and another as a fluid motor.

The present invention is particularly concerned with fluid pressure energy translating devices of the fixed or variable displacement type and is particularly applicable to those of the class wherein the load forces generated by fluid pressure within the device are carried by the drive shaft and easing largely in the axial direction with respect to the shaft. As an example of a pump or motor of this general class, reference maybe had to the patent to Thoma, In devices of this general character the axial thrust loads are substantially in direct proportion to the fluid pressure at which the device operates. The-present tendency in "the art is toward increasingly higher pressures which naturally imposes greater andgreater loads on of the device. 1-

It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide an improved pump or motor construction having a greatly increased thrust bearing capacity at all speeds and permitting operation at higher pressures and speeds than heretofore have been possible.

It is also an object to provide a pump or motor i of improved and more rugged, compact, and reliable construction, capable of satisfactory operation over a long useful life at extremely high pressures and high speeds.

Further objects and advantages of the present inventionwill be apparent from the following description. reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Figure l is .a topview of a Pump or motor incorporating a preferred form of the present invention.

of Fi ure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross section on a larger scale showing a portion of the mechanism of Figure 2. r

Figure 4 is a cross section on line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a cross section on line 5-5 of Figure 2. i

Figure 6 is a cross section on line l-Bof Fig ure 2.

Figure 7 is a cross section on line 1-1 of Flgure 2.

Figure 8 isa cross section on line Hof Figure i i Figure2 9 is a cross section online 9-! of Figure Figure 10 is a fragmentary view corresponding to a portion of Figure z'showing a modifled form of thepresent invention.

Figure 11 is iii-longitudinal cross section of a pump or motor embodying a further modiflcation of the present invention.

Figure 12 is a fragmentary view corresponding to a portion of Figure 2 showing certain constructional details. a 3

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2 there is illustrated a pump of the variable displacement type having a generally eup-shaped main frame or casing member Iii having suitable flange means l2 for attachment to a support such as the wall of an oil tank. The right-hand end of the frame II is provided with a second frame member l4 secured thereto by suitable bolt not shown. A third frame member I6 is secured to the member I! in a similar manner.

The main drive shaft ll of the device is journalled on self-aligning. radial, anti-friction bearings 20 in the main frame it and on combined radial and thrust bearings 22 in the frame member IS. The outer race of bearing 20 is preferably slidable axially in the casing member l0, while the bearing 22 is rigidly secured in the frame member I6 against axial motion bymeans of the securing cap 24. At its left-hand end the shaft I8 is provided with a flange portion 26 which carries a plurality of ball and socket joints 28 by which connecting rods 30 are articulated to the flange 26.

Journalled on stationary hollow trunnions 32 and 33 in the main frame member III is a swinging yoke having a pair of hollow arms 36 at opposite sides thereof and a valve plate portion generally designated as 38 intermediate the two arms 38. Journalled in the yoke on a stub shaft 40 which is rigidly secured thereto and on anti-friction bearings 42 is a cylinder barrel H. The bearings 42 are preferably axially slidable on thestub shaft 40.

The cylinder barrel H has a plurality of cylinder bores 48 in which pistons 48 are reciprocably mounted. The pistons are articulated to the connecting rods 30 by ball joints 50. At their left-hand ends each .of the cylinder bores 46 .room head 58 abutting in the cylinder barrel 44 against the valve Sate, a stem 54 having a mushroom-shaped head 88 at its right-hand end is slidably mounted in a bore 58 formed in the stub shaft 48, the mushthe inner race of the right-hand bearing 42'. The left-hand portion oi the stem 54 is threaded 'to adiustably carry a spring abutment 83. A spring 88 is mounted in an enlarged bore 82 at the left-hand end of the stub shaft 48 and serves to constantly urge the stem 84 and cylinder barrel 44 to the left.

The drive shaft I8 and the cylinder barrel 44 are connected together forconjoi'nt rotation by means of a shaft 84'having universal joints 88 at its opposite ends which are connected respectively to the cylinder barrel 44 and the shaft I8. A light spring 88 urges the shaft 84 to the left to take up any lost motion in the axial direction inherent in the universal joints 88.

In order to safely carry far greater thrust loads than otherwise would be practical there is provided in addition to the ball thrust bearing 22 a Kingsbury type of thrust bearing comprising a hardened steel ring in keyed to the shaft I8 adjacent the bearing 28. A plurality of Kingsbury slipper pads I2 are mounted by means of ball joints 14 on a plurality of pistons 18 slidably mounted with limited travel in bores I8 formed in the frame member I4. The pistons 18 are urged to the right by light springs 88 so as to normally hold the slipper pads I2 out of contact with the bearing ring I8 when no fluid pressure exists in the right-hand end of the cylinders I8. Preferably the number of pistons and cylinders 'I8--'I8 corresponds to the number of cylinders and pistons 48-48, and the diameter of the former is a selected percentage of the diameter of the latter as will be later discussed.

The right-hand ends of the cylinders 18 are connected together by drilled conduits 82 in the frame I4 from which branch portions 84 and 88 extend through the frame member I8 to the hollow trunnions 32 and 33. The inner ends of the trunnions 32 and 33 are closed off from the interior of the casing l8 as shown and each carries a spring-loaded, pressure responsive, four-way valve 88 and 38.

The construction of these valves is similar and that of the valve 38 is shown more clearly in Figure 3. The lower end of the valve 98 is of a somewhat larger diameter than the upper end which slides in a bore 92 in a cap 94. A central passage 88 through the valve places the bore 92 in communication with the hollow interior of the trunnion 33 so that a differential area of the valve 98 is exposed to the pressure in the trunnion 33. A spring 98 opposes this pressure. The conduit 88 extends into the closed end of the trunnion 33 and connects with a port I88. A port I82 connects with a conduit I84 for a purpose later to be described. A port I86 connects by a conduit I88 with the interior of the casing member I8.

It will be seen that in the position of the valve 38 shown in Figures 2 and 3, that is, when the pressure in trunnion 33 is not sufllciently higher than that within the casing I8 to overcome the spring 98, ports I88 and I82 are connected together and are cut off from the trunnion 33 and conduit I88 respectively. When the pressure in trunnion 33 rises sufllciently to overcome spring 88, valve 38 moves upwardly cutting ofi port I88 from port I82 and placing port I88 in communication with the interior of trunnion 33 as well as connecting port I82 with port I88. Thus pressure oil from trunnion 33 may be admitted to the conduit 88 and distributed through conduits 82 to the various cylinders 18 urging the pistons I8 to the left and bringing the slipper pads I2 into contact with the bearing ring 18. Normally only one of the valves 88 or 88 is open at one time so that pressure oil transmitted through conduit 88, for example, cannot escape to the opposite trunnion 32 through the valve 88.

The bearing construction at the trunnions 32 and 33 includes an improved means for balancing the radial loads on the bearing hydraulically and for insuring that no loads are transmitted to the yoke arms 38 in a direction axially of the trunnions. For this purpose each of the trunnions is provided with a pair of radially opening ports H8 and H2 which extend through an arc somewhat less than 180 degrees facing to the right in Figure 1. The disposition of these ports is illustrated in Figure 5. The arms 38 are provided with bearing portions H4 which surround the trunnions. There is formed in each of these bearing portions a pair of ports I I8 and H8 which register with the ports H8 and H2. The ports II 8 and H8 extend through an arc of approximately 180 degrees.

Around the periphery of the ports H8 and H8 there is provided a flexible packing member which is formed as an endless band I28 of generally rectangular shape with rounded corners to completely encompass the ports H8 and H8. This packing may be made of a suitable material such as leather or Neoprene. The rear faces of the packings I28 are in communication with their respective ports Il8-II8 through drilled passages I22, a groove I24 being provided in the packing receiving recess for distributing the oil pressure around the entire back face of the packing I28. The projected area enclosed by the packing I28 is chosen so that the radial force due to fluid pressure tending to move the arm 38 to the right in Figure 1 is equal to that portion of the load imposed on the trunnion 32 or 33 by the thrust of the pistons 48.

Diametrically opposite the ports H8 and H2 the bearing portion H4 is provided with pressure relieving grooves I28 which cover a generally comparable area to that of the ports H8 or H2 and which communicate by bores I28 with the interior of the casing member I8. To either side of the ports H8 and II 8 in the bearing portions II4 there are provided in each bearing portion a pair of balancing grooves I38 (see Figures 3 and 6). These grooves I38 are surrounded with peripheral packing members I32 similar in construction to thepacking members I28. Suitable drilled conduits I34 connectthe balancing grooves I38 and the back face of packings I32 with the conduit I84 at trunnion 33 and with a similar conduit I38 at trunnion 32. The area enclosed by the two packing members I32 at either trunnion 32 or 33 is preferably so chosen that the fluid pressure force exerted therein tending to urge the arm 38 to the right in Figure 2 is equal to the portion of the piston thrust load carried by that trunnion when the other trunnion is on the pressure side of the machine.

It will be understood, of course, that the trunnion load produced by the thrust of pistons 48 is not equal on both trunnions. Thus in Figure 2, if we assume that the trunnion 32 is under pressure and the trunnion 33 is not, this means that the pistons 48 which are in the top half of Figure l are subject to pressure while those at the bottom half of Figure are not. Thus the bearings I It.

in the yoke center oi'pressure of the total piston thrust is somewhat above the axis of stubshait ,imv 'posinga greater load on trunnion 32 than on trunnion 33. The I33 are preferably chosen so as to carry the approximate proportlon of. the piston is exerted on the trunnion not under pressure.

Due to the inherent constructional req ments of the yoke 34, it is Preferable to make this part by casting, and in order to provide a more wear-resisting material than can be readily cast, the valve plate portion 33 oi the yoke 34 carries a removable wearing plate I33 which is secured to the right-hand race of the portion 33 by bolts I 40. The plate I33 carries the usual pair of arcuate valve ports I42 and I which-cooperate with the cylinder ports known manner. These ports register with correspondlng ports I43 and I formed in the valve plate portion 33 of yoke II which communicate with passages I50 On its right-hand face the plate I3! is provided with the usual raised annular pressure surface I (Figure 9) On its left-hand face the plate I38 is provided with a similar raised annular surface I36 having a somewhat smaller outer diameter and a somewhat larger inner diameter than the surface I. In order to insure against hydraulic pressures tending to separate the plate I33 from the yoke 34, the annular space within the raised contact portion I56 isconnected to the interior of the casing by drain holes I" formed 34. Suitable drain holes I30 extend through the plate I38 to also drain the annular space inside the raised contact face I54.

The general operation of the structure thus far described is welbknown in the art. Briefly stated, rotation of the shaft I3 and cylinder barrel 44 causes the pistons 48 to be reciprocated in the bores 46 through a stroke depending upon the angular setting of the yoke 34 relative to the shaft I8. With the yoke3l in neutral position, that is, with the barrel 44 aligned with shalt I 8, the fluid will be pumped, whereas it the yoke beswung to its limit of movement piston stroke will be at a maximum causing oil to be delivered through the ports 52 into the valve plate port I42, for example, and delivered through passage I53 and trunnion to the main line conduit I 62. As each cylinder comes into register with the opposite valve plate port I, fluid is drawn in therethrough fromthe passage I52 and main line conduit I54. In thus delivering oil against a high pressure head, severe thrust loads are imposed on the flange 26 and shaft I3 which must be carried by the thrust bearings of the device. 1

It is a well-known characteristic of ball bearings that their load capacity decreases as the speed of operation increases. It is also acharacteristic of the Kingsbury type of thrust bearing that its load capacity increases as the speed of operation increases. Accordingly the springs 80 at the pistons- I6 maybe selected so as to have sufilcient force to hold thepistons I3 tothe right atany pressure below the safe thrust capacity of the ball bearings 22, at maximum operating speed. Accordingly, if we assume, for example,

, that the yoke is adjusted so that: trunnion 33 is the pressure conduit and oil is being delivered therethrough to the main line I64, it will be'seen l that the valve 90 will move upwardly as soon as any significant pressure resistance is built up in areas of the balancing grooves I! in the well-- pistons will not be reciprocated at all and no as in Figure 1, the

thrust which uireand valve 33 which is the-line I. This places the port Ill in communication with the interior of trunnion 33 admitting main line pressure to conduit II where it is distributed to all 01' the cylinders 18. This oil pressure is also transmitted through conduit 34 in its upper position to the conduit I33 and to the auxiliary balancing grooves I3l| located at the trunnion 32. As soon as the pressure in line I it builds up suiliciently to overcome springs III, pistons 13 move to the left bringing the slipper pads 'llinto operating engagement with the bearing ring Iii. From this point on a'p'ortion oi the thrust load is thu carand I32 leading to the trunnion great angles the pistons 16 creased.

A as the angle of th yoke ried on the Kingsbury bearing.

For this purpose the is preferably selected so diameter or cylinders II as to have an area relation with respect to pistons 43 which is the same as the desired load relation. between the Kings bury thrust bearing and Obviously the exact percentage of load which it may be desired to carry on the Kingsbury type of bearing is susceptible of wide range of choice depending upon such design considerations as relative cost and space required .for the ball and Kingsbury type bearings.

"Since at a given pressure the total thrust load varies as the cosine of the angle between the barrel and shaft, the areas may be selected so that at on ring III to the left than pistons 48 exert thereon toward the right. In such case the ball'bearing 22 is actually loaded with a negative thrust. With such an area relation, then, this negative thrust on the ball bearings will become smaller is decreased (pressure remaining constant) until a point is reached where the Kingsbury pads carry exactly the full thrust. As the angle is, further decreased the ball bearin 22 becomes positivelyloaded, this positive load-increasing as the angle is further de- Preferably the piston areas are so chosen that the maximum negative load on ball bearing 22 is equal to the maximum positive load.

It will be seen that if desired the springs 80 may be omitted thus enabling the Kingsbury bearing to carry a portion of the load at all times. It is preferred to use these springs, however, since they serve to reduce frictional drag at low loads and thus improve efliciency at low power outputs. In either event the pistons 13 serve to automatically maintain a predetermined portion of the load on the Kingsbury hearing at any yoke angle over the full pressur range and independently of deflection or misfitting of the parts. In addition the mounting of the pads 12 on ball joints insures proper bearing on the ring III even though the latter becomes deflected into a dished shape under heavy loads.

The bearing loads at the trunnions are hydraulically-balanced so that the yoke is free swinging. In this connection, if we still consider the trunnion 33 as being under pressure, it will be seen that the ports II2 and lla balance the radial load imposed on trunnion 33 while the auxiliary balancing grooves I30 at trunnion 32 balance the smaller load on that trunnion. It will be noted that the auxiliary balancing grooves are supplied with pressure from the opposite trunlow side pressure that the arms 36 embrace the trunnions over equal areas'at the top and bottom of each arm a in Figure 2, there is no force transmitted to the the ball thrust bearing.

will exert more force 32 and 33 a is not provided,

'sistance to turning of In larger size machines where this construction it will be seen that a fluid pressure force would-beexerted on the yoke as a I whole equal to the cross section of the pressure conduit I64 multiplied by the operating pressure,

- and this force would be transmitted through the yoke to the casing at the opposite trunnion 82. In the present construction this force, due to hydraulic pressure existing in the main line I64, for example, is carried directly by the casing itself, thus further reducing the frictional rethe yoke 84. v

The conduits I62 and I64 are preferably provided with ball and socket connections as illustrated, for providing greater ease in making the necessary pipe connections in large size machines and permitting easy compensation for errors in alignment in rigging up pipe lines. For this purpose the trunnions 92 and 38 are provided with bell portions I9I for the reception of the spherical enlargements I98 formed in the pipes I62 and I64. These enlargements are provided with grooves in which are positioned sealing rings I96 having a generally U-shaped cross section and formed of Neoprene. The rings I95 are preferably formed so that their open edges will be forced toward one another when the joint is assembled thereby insuring a firm edge contact with the bottom wall of the groove and with the bell portions I8I. Caps I91 are provided with.spherical sockets adapted to receive the enlargements I98 and are secured to casing I by suitable bolts The thrust, bearing 22 is immovably secured to the shaft II as before but is slidably mounted in a bore I90 in the casing member I4. A heavy spring I92 urges the outer race of the bearing .22 to the left, thus carrying the-entire shaft including the flange 28 and the connecting rods 80 and pistons 48 slightly to the left and holdin the bearing ring 10 out of contact with the pads 12. The universal joints 66 (see Figure 1) normally permit a limited degree of axial movement of this character.

When the pressure in the device builds up sufflciently to overcome the force of spring I92, the entire shaft assemblyis moved back to the right permitting the bearing ring 10 to contact the slipper pads 12 and thus bring the Kingsbury bearing into operation-to carry its portion of the thrust load.

In the modified form of the invention illustrated in Figure 11, which incidentally shows a fixed displacementmachine rather than 9. variable displacement one, the control of the Kingsbury pistons 16 is exercised through a speed responsive governor I94 driven by bevel gearing I96 from the shaft I8. As the speed of the shaft I8 increases the governor operates a valve I98 shifting the latter to the left to connect the pistons 16 with the main pressure line. I For this purpose conduits 200 and 202 extend from the two arcuate valve ports of the device to a pair of check valves 204 and 206. The latter lead to a port 208 of the valve I88 so that one of the valve ports which happens to be under presnot shown. This construction provides a tight' character described. For this purpose the easing member I6 is provided with a bell-like portion at its right-hand end. J ournalled in brackets I66 are a pair of transverse shafts I68 positioned above and below the main shaft I8. At their mid portion the shafts I68 each have keyed thereto helical gears I10. These gears mesh with a helical pinion or worm I12 keyed to the main shaft I8. The ends of the shafts I68 are provided with splined bores I14 for attachment to the drive shaft such as I16 of an auxiliary pump indicated at I18 in Figure 1. The casing portion I6 is provided with four circular flange portions I80 on which mounting flanges I82 are secured by suitable bolts, not shown, to form mounting flanges for the auxiliary pumps which are driven by the shafts I68. It will be seen that this construction provides a compact means for driving as many as four auxiliary devices from the main drive shaft I8.

Referring now to Figure 10 there is illustrated a modified form of the invention wherein the Kingsbury bearings are brought into and out of action by the thrust of the pistons 48 themsure is always in communication with the port 208. A port 2I0 of the valve I88 connects by a conduit 2I2 with the Kingsbury pistons 16. A third port 2I4 is connected to the interior-of the casing of the device by a passage 2I6.

With the valve I98 in the position illustrated, that is, at slow speeds of the shaft I8, the Kingsbury pistons 16 are connected to exhaust through passage 2I2, ports 2I0 and 2, and conduit 2I6. Thus the entire thrust load is carried on the thrust bearing 22. When the speed rises beyond a predetermined point, the valve I98 is shifted to the left admitting pressure from the main line to the port 208 and through port 2I0 and conduit 2I2 to the Kingsbury pistons, thus bringing the Kingsbury bearings into operation.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In a pump or motor device the combination of a stationary frame member and a rotary driving member and pumping or propelling mechanism of the type imposing an axial thrust between said members in proportion to the operating pressure of the device, an anti-friction thrust bearing between the two members and having I sufficient .load capacity to carry only a portion aaeaaio sufllcient load capacity to'carry only a portion of the thrust at full load and speed, a slipper type-thrust bearing between the two members,'

and means responsive to an increase in operating pressure in the device for transferring the of the bearings into and out oi operation independently or the'speed of rotation.

load from the anti-friction bearing to the slipper type bearing.

3. In a thrust bearing assembly for operation over a wide range of load and speed the combination with a stationary load receiving member 10 and a\rotary load imposing member of an antifriction bearing between the two members hav-- ing suflicient capacity to carry only a portion oi.

the thrust at full load and speed, a slipper type bearing between the two members. and means responsive to changes in load ior bringing one 4. In a thrust bearing assembly for operation over a wide range 01 load and speed the combination with a stationary load receiving member' and a rotary load imposing member of an antiiriction bearing between the two-members having suflicient capacity to carry only a portion HARRY F. VICKERS.

mm B. HERMAN. 

